Monthly Archives: February 2014

Many bloggers have been important in leading me to books by African women. Kinna @ KinnaReads is the blogger I rely on most. She is particularly knowledgeable about African literature. Last month she offered a list of 12 books which she suggests as a syllabus for a hypothetical university course titled Introduction to African Women Writers. All the books are fiction, the list is regionally representative, and provides a good breadth of themes.

I have read and reviewed half of them in the past two years. Some of them are favorites of mine, too. The links are to my reviews. I also read and loved The Joys of Motherhood years ago. Recently I did read and review another of Emechata’s books, The Bride Price,as well as write a response to those who consider it feminist.I plan to read the books that I haven’t read for her Africa Reads 2014 Challenge if I can get copies of them.

From the perspective of a white American and a relative newcomer to African women writers, I’d like to supplement Kinna’s list with a couple of additional suggestions.

1.Half a Yellow Sun, by Chimamanda Adichie. A story taking place in the Biafra war for independence and one of the best books I have read about women in civil war.

2.Americanah, by Chimamanda Adichie. A international story of a Nigerian woman who lives for a time in the USA. Americans should read this description of race in our country.

3.Ghana Must Go, by Taiye Selasi. Another international novel, a lyrical story about a family of African migrants striving for success and never being successful enough. Appropriate for all of us who strive.

I have also had suggestions for particular books that individuals recommend.

Any of Chitra Divakaruni’s books. IndiaA Tale for the Time Being by Ruth Ozeki.Someone Else’s Garden by Dipika Rai.We Need New Names, by No Violet Bulawayo. AfricaCarpentaria, by Alexis Wright. Australian IndigenousMy Place, by Sally Morgan. Australian IndigenousAmericanah, by Adichie. Nigeria and USAThe Bone People, by Keri Hulme. New Zealand IndigenousDogside Story, by Patricia Grace. New Zealand Indigenous

The recent wave of talk about reading books written by women convinced me to expand Global Women of Color instead of reducing it. I want it to become a general source that brings together information about this important group of writers. I have restructured the site and added to it. Here are the two new pages.

I am also creating a Blogroll so that people who care about reading books by Global Women of Color can get in touch with each other. If you want to be included, leave a comment here with your blog address.

If you like Challenges, set up your own involving Global Women of Color. I hope some of you would read and review books by women from of a particular region or country. Share what you plan to do in a comment.

As this site grows, I would like to create pages for Books from/about Different Places. I will need some help, especially for areas under-represented in the GWC posts such as Canada and the Far East. For now, add suggestions as comments and I will assemble pages.

However you choose to participate, feel free to take a GWC Button for your own blog.

Whatever your choices, I hope you will read and enjoy some of the wonderful books by the women whose books are featured here.

Any of Chitra Divakaruni’s books. IndiaA Tale for the Time Being by Ruth Ozeki.Someone Else’s Garden by Dipika Rai.We Need New Names, by No Violet Bulawayo. AfricaCarpentaria, by Alexis Wright. Australian IndigenousMy Place, by Sally Morgan. Australian IndigenousAmericanah, by Adichie. Nigeria and USAThe Bone People, by Keri Hulme. New Zealand IndigenousDogside Story, by Patricia Grace. New Zealand Indigenous

LISTS OF PAST GWC REVIEWS 2014 GWC Reviews SpreadsheetThis is where new reviews are assembled. I will occasionally sort and post lists from here.

2013 GWC Reviews Final ListBooks reviewed last year, listed alphabetically by title, along with authors, reviewers, and comments by reviewers.

Voices from the Gap, created by the University of Minnesota English Department, is a website devoted to making available books and other resources by and about women writers of color worldwide.

Feminist presses like Spinifex, Inanna, Aunt Lute and Feminist Press have all made it a priority to publish books by women globally. Their catalogues are full of books by women of color. If you cannot find them locally, you can order directly often getting ebooks which eliminate international shipping charges.